Everyone is born with a small hole between the upper chambers of the heart. The hole typically closes a few weeks after birth. However, for 20 percent of the population the hole remains open. This condition is called a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Most people living with a PFO are unaware of it. It is usually only discovered after an otherwise healthy adult suffers a stroke.

Our Medical Director Dr. Jim Thompson subspecializes in interventional cardiology and is an expert in implanting PFO devices to address structural heart problems. He has performed device closure procedures more than 1,200 times spanning nearly two decades. He is currently conducting a clinical trial using a less invasive device called NobleStitch, which has preliminarily been shown to have better closure rates than traditional devices. Visit our Newsroom to learn more about this innovative procedure.

Our physicians are ​recommending the COVID vaccine for our age-appropriate patients, but ultimately it is entirely up the parents/family if they would like to proceed with the COVID vaccine. Our physicians believe the benefits of the vaccine clearly outweigh the risks of any possible side effects from the vaccine. If you have specific questions or concerns regarding the vaccine, you should contact your pediatrician or family physician. If the pediatrician/family physician has any specific concerns, they can reach out to us directly.

Our echocardiography lab is available for standard transthoracic and fetal echocardiograms and is certified by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC), demonstrating our ongoing commitment to providing quality patient care. Other services include exercise stress testing, electrocardiograms, 24-hour Holter monitoring, event recordings and transesophageal echocardiography. Our team routinely assesses athletes with possible heart problems through our sports preparticipation screening evaluations.

All of our physicians care for infants, children and young adults with cardiovascular disease,as well as adults with congenital heart disease. Some of their particular interests include the following:

• Dr. Sherif Tawfik specializes in diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization for babies, children, and adults with congenital heart disease.
• Dr. Sharon Karr, Dr. Jin Park and Dr. Sarah Chambers specialize in the evaluation and management of the fetal heart during pregnancy.

Pediatric Cardiology Associates is accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) for transthoracic and fetal echocardiograms, demonstrating that we meet the highest standards in these areas. To become accredited, a facility must complete a detailed self-evaluation on all aspects of facility operation and submit confidential case studies to the IAC’s Board of Directors for review.

Our patients and referring providers can take comfort in knowing that:

• we have demonstrated our commitment to providing quality testing for the diagnosis of heart disorders and disease.
• we have been carefully evaluated on all operational aspects considered relevant by medical experts in the field of echocardiography.

We are proud of this designation and appreciate your trust in us.